Image generation system, program, and information storage medium

• US 7,164,421 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Okamura, Yuichiro, Miura, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): XU, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/841,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 345/592, 345/426, 345/589, 345/422, 582/274
• US Class Current: 345/426
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/506 Illumination models

Abstract

An image generation system, program, and information storage medium can realistically represent reflection of light on a given object or topographic surface with a reduced computation load. The image generation system includes a section which assigns, to a given object or topographic surface disposed in a virtual three-dimensional space, a virtual object which has at least one of nonuniform brightness or color and is used for representing a light reflection effect on the object or topographic surface; a section which determines a position of the virtual object so that the virtual object moves to follow a virtual camera or player'"'"'s character, and disposes the virtual object at the determined position; and a section which generates an image of the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the virtual camera by performing translucent blending processing of the object or topographic surface and the virtual object assigned to the object or topographic surface.

Claims

1. An image generation method comprising:

assigning, to a given object or a given topographic surface disposed in a virtual three-dimensional space, a virtual object which has at least one of nonuniform brightness or nonuniform color and is used for representing a light reflection effect on the object or the topographic surface, and storing the virtual object in a storage section;

determining a position of the virtual object so that the virtual object moves to follow a virtual camera or a player'"'"'s character, and disposing the virtual object at the determined position; and

generating and displaying an image of the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the virtual camera by performing translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object assigned to the object or the topographic surface,

wherein brightness or color of a predetermined area of the virtual object is set so that a portion disposed further from a player or the virtual camera has higher brightness or brighter color.

2. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein a background color is mixed into the virtual object.

3. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein the virtual object is assigned to have a size to be included in a viewing volume of the virtual camera.

4. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein the virtual object has a shape of a part of a spherical surface or a shape of a bowl.

5. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein, in a case of representing reflection on a plurality of objects or topographic surfaces, the virtual object is assigned to each of the plurality of objects or topographic surfaces.

6. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each vertex as model information of the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.

7. The image generation method as defined in claim 1,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each pixel as information of a texture to be mapped on the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface, on which the texture is mapped, and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.

8. A program executed on a computer to implement processing of:

assigning, to a given object or a given topographic surface disposed in a virtual three-dimensional space, a virtual object which has at least one of nonuniform brightness or nonuniform color and is used for representing a light reflection effect on the object or the topographic surface;

determining a position of the virtual object so that the virtual object moves to follow a virtual camera or a player'"'"'s character, and disposing the virtual object at the determined position; and

generating and displaying an image of the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the virtual camera by performing translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object assigned to the object or the topographic surface,

wherein brightness or color of a predetermined area of the virtual object is set so that a portion disposed further from a player or the virtual camera has higher brightness or brighter color.

9. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein a background color is mixed into the virtual object.

10. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein the virtual object is assigned to have a size to be included in a viewing volume of the virtual camera.

11. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein the virtual object has a shape of a part of a spherical surface or a shape of a bowl.

12. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein, in a case of representing reflection on a plurality of objects or topographic surfaces, the virtual object is assigned to each of the plurality of objects or topographic surfaces.

13. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each vertex as model information of the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.

14. The program as defined in claim 8,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each pixel as information of a texture to be mapped on the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface, on which the texture is mapped, and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.

15. A computer-readable information storage medium which stores a program defined in claim 8.

16. An image generation system comprising:

a virtual object assigning section which assigns, to a given object or a given topographic surface disposed in a virtual three-dimensional space, a virtual object which has at least one of nonuniform brightness or nonuniform color and is used for representing a light reflection effect on the object or the topographic surface;

a virtual object disposing section which determines a position of the virtual object so that the virtual object moves to follow a virtual camera or a player'"'"'s character, and disposes the virtual object at the determined position; and

an image generation and displaying section which generates and displays an image of the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the virtual camera by performing translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object assigned to the object or the topographic surface,

wherein brightness or color of a predetermined area of the virtual object is set so that a portion disposed further from a player or the virtual camera has higher brightness or brighter color.

17. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein a background color is mixed into the virtual object.

18. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein the virtual object is assigned to have a size to be included in a viewing volume of the virtual camera.

19. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein the virtual object has a shape of a part of a spherical surface or a shape of a bowl.

20. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein, in a case of representing reflection on a plurality of objects or topographic surfaces, the virtual object is assigned to each of the plurality of objects or topographic surfaces.

21. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each vertex as model information of the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.

22. The image generation system as defined in claim 16,

wherein a translucent blending coefficient with the virtual object is stored for each pixel as information of a texture to be mapped on the object or the topographic surface, and

wherein the translucent blending processing of the object or the topographic surface, on which the texture is mapped, and the virtual object is performed using the translucent blending coefficient.